holiday favorite

plate of Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons with a gourd in the background, shot from the front

Pumpkin Cheesecake Macarons

two stemmed glasses of Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz with orange slices and rosemary sprigs with cramberries rosemary and half an orange on the table underneath, shot from the front

Cranberry Orange Aperol Spritz

cherry almond pastry cake with a wedge removed

Cherry Almond Pastry Cake

photo of creme brulee doughnuts stacked together with the top doughnut missing a bite

Crème Brûlée Doughnuts

close up of caramel swirl meringue on a baking sheet

Caramel Swirl Meringues

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CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

close up of creamy tomato macaroni beef in a skillet with a serving spoon

Creamy Tomato Macaroni Beef

pizza & pasta
August 29, 2022

Creamy Tomato Macaroni Beef – Jumbo elbow macaroni and beef is tossed with a creamy tomato sauce. It’s a perfect meal for weeknight dinners! Today’s recipe is for a meal that we’ve been loving at home lately. It’s similar to the Hamburger Helper dish you may have had as a kid, but obviously a little heathier since the ingredients aren’t…
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apple cinnamon charlotte sitting on a plate with cinnamon sabayon sliced in half to reveal the apples in the center

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte

dessert· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
August 26, 2022

Apple Cinnamon Charlotte – Brioche is stuffed with cinnamon apples, baked and covered in a cinnamon sabayon sauce Today’s recipe was born from an Instagram trap. I was sucked into a video from Tyler Florence making this intricate dessert with simple flavors. It was something I’ve never made before but it looked fun (and delicious!) so I had to try…
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close up of sliced tomato pesto focaccia

Tomato Pesto Focaccia

appetizer· bread· pizza & pasta· snacks
August 23, 2022

Tomato Pesto Focaccia – Homemade focaccia dough is topped with basil pesto and fresh tomatoes, then baked to perfection. Baking bread is one of my favorite things to do. There’s just something about the smell of fresh bread in the house that’s so comforting. And you cannot beat warm, crusty bread right out the oven. It’s addicting! At some point,…
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close up of pretzel bread pudding slice on a plate in a pool of whiskey sauce

Pretzel Bread Pudding

dessert· Easter· Fall Flavors· Holiday Favorites
August 15, 2022

Pretzel Bread Pudding – Pretzel bread pieces are soaked in a sweet custard and baked to make a sweet and salty dessert, served with a homemade whiskey sauce As we head into fall, it’s time to get those yummy desserts and casseroles prepped for all those family gatherings. Today I have a new dessert to add to your must-try list:…
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nutella fruit waffle on a white plate with waffles and fruit in the background

Nutella Fruit Waffle

breakfast· dessert· Easter· Holiday Favorites
August 11, 2022

Nutella Fruit Waffle – Buttery, airy waffles are topped with Nutella and sliced fruit Today’s recipe is a recreation of a KILLER waffle I had not long ago. It was called a Nutella waffle taco and it was the best thing I ate on my whole vacation. The buttery waffles with the luscious Nutella was perfectly balanced with the fresh…
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glass of watermelon sangria with watermelon garnish

Watermelon Sangria

drinks
August 8, 2022

Watermelon Sangria – Homemade melon water is mixed with Pinot Grigio, chunks of fresh watermelon, mint, and a little triple sec to make for a refreshing end-of-summer drink I cannot believe stores are already pushing out summer supplies and stocking their shelves with pumpkin decor and pumpkin spice-flavored-everything. Is summer already coming to an end?! As far as produce goes,…
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close up of the center cut of banana stuffed cinnamon toast on a bed of strawberry compote

Banana Stuffed Cinnamon Toast

breakfast
August 4, 2022

Banana stuffed cinnamon toast – Thick slices of white bread are stuffed with bananas, dipped in a custard, and fried until golden brown. Served with a homemade strawberry compote. I hope you’re ready for the best food I’ve made in a while. I am dead serious. This Banana Stuffed Cinnamon Toast blew me away. I couldn’t stop eating it. I…
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Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

slices of Pumpkin Banana Bread on a cotton napkin with walnuts sprinkled around and bananas in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Banana Bread

Maple Pecan Scones

a trio of gingerbread souffles on a serving platter

Gingerbread Soufflé

styled shot of Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

Sparkling Apple Cider Sangria

close up of sliced loaf of chocolate cinnamon babka with the center exposed to see the beautiful swirl of chocolate

Chocolate Cinnamon Babka

a slice of peach upside down cake on a white plate with the rest of the cake in the background

Peach Upside-down Cake

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Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in Classic Pot Roast – chuck roast slowly cooked in a jus made of beef broth, carrots, celery, and onions! Balsamic vinegar, thyme, and mustard give that jus a kick of flavor! 

Cold weather is in full effect, you guys! So comfort food needs to be on the menu! My husband wanted to try a good pot roast, so I used a combination of recipes to come up with the perfect one! 

The secret? Traditional aromatics (carrots, celery, onions) PLUS balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard set this roast apart with a tangy kick!

Pro tip: Sear the roast first to give it beautiful color on the outside – if you skip this step, the meat will look almost gray when cooked in the broth!

💬 Comment "POTROAST" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for comfort meals
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pot roast!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/classic-pot-roast/
Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter – fluffy pillows of sweet potato dumplings tossed in a sage and browned butter sauce for a comforting pasta dish you didn't know you needed! 

This gnocchi was inspired by a dish I had at a local restaurant years ago, you guys! I was skeptical about sweet potato gnocchi with just butter and sage – no cream? no tomato? But MAN, was I wrong! 

The sweet potato gnocchi is even MORE flavorful than the original! It shines on its own with little help from a heavy sauce – that's why it pairs so perfectly with a light toss in sage and browned butter!

Pro tip: Use a potato ricer to break up the sweet potatoes – don't use a food processor or it will make the gnocchi gummy and pasty! The ricer makes it super fluffy!

Perfect for fall dinners, Thanksgiving, date nights, or anytime you want restaurant-quality comfort food at home! 

💬 Comment "GNOCCHI" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for fall cooking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves pasta!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-sage-browned-butter/
Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the o Sour Cream Doughnuts – dense and crispy on the outside, moist and cakey on the inside! Your favorite old-fashioned cake doughnuts ready in half the time as yeast doughnuts!

These are also known as old-fashioned doughnuts, you guys! They're bulky, firm on the outside, but oh-so-moist on the inside! The BEST combination of textures – crunchy yet chewy, dense yet moist! 

I fell in love with these at a local bakery, and now my husband surprises me with them from time to time! Do I have a great man or what?!

Pro tip: Don't roll the dough too thin or the doughnuts will turn to hockey pucks when you fry them! You're better off making the dough too thick than too thin!

Perfect for weekend breakfast, Easter morning, brunch, or anytime you want homemade doughnuts without the wait! 

💬 Comment "DOUGHNUTS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for weekend baking
📤 SHARE with someone who loves doughnuts!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/sour-cream-doughnuts
Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed wi Creamy Poblano Enchiladas – tortillas stuffed with shredded chicken, covered in a creamy poblano sauce and cheese, then baked until creamy perfection! 

I'm more of a green enchiladas fan than red, you guys! While this sauce isn't traditional green enchilada sauce, it's got similar flavor notes! Plus, with the added milk, it's super creamy and decadent! 

The secret? A roux makes the sauce ultra creamy without needing tons of heavy cream!

Pro tip: Don't skip the lime juice! It's KEY to balancing out the flavors – this is NOT an optional ingredient!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo, dinner parties, family dinners, or anytime you want creamy enchiladas! 🎉

💬 Comment "POBLANO" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for Cinco de Mayo
📤 SHARE with someone who loves enchiladas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/creamy-poblano-enchiladas/
Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cum Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cumin-spiced beef and tomato mixture!

These are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, you guys! Small party-perfect size (makes about 20!) with super flavorful filling that's NOT spicy – everyone will love them! 😍

Made with my classic pie dough for the flakiest crust, then filled with seasoned beef, onions, and tomatoes!

Pro tip: Make sure to chill the dough before rolling it out – this lets it rest and firm up so it gets nice and flaky while baking!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties, game day, meal prep, or anytime you want delicious hand-held snacks!

💬 Comment "EMPANADAS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for party planning
📤 SHARE with someone who loves empanadas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/beef-empanadas

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